US2012320204A1PendingUtilityA1

Asset assessment system

40
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jun 20, 2011Filed: Jun 20, 2011Published: Dec 20, 2012
Est. expiryJun 20, 2031(~4.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Thomas J. Dahlin
G08G 1/09623
40
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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Claims

Abstract

An asset assessment system that gathers information about a plurality of assets located at various geographical locations.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An asset assessment system, comprising:
 a plurality of assets located at various geographical locations;   a geographical information system database for providing information relating to geographical locations of the plurality of assets;   an on-board global positioning system device;   a camera;   a pointing controller, wherein the camera is attached to the pointing controller; and   a computer, wherein the computer receives information from the geographical information system database and the global positioning system device to direct the pointing controller where to point the camera.   
     
     
         2 . The asset assessment system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera pointed at a selected asset from the plurality of assets records at least one image of the selected asset. 
     
     
         3 . The asset assessment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a retroreflectivity measurement apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The asset assessment system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of assets include roadway signs or roadway structures. 
     
     
         5 . The asset assessment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface to allow a user to read information and input information about the assets. 
     
     
         6 . The asset assessment system of  claim 1 , wherein the system collects assessment information about the asset, and wherein the assessment information includes inventory, maintenance, or incidental sign evaluation information. 
     
     
         7 . The asset assessment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader with a steerable antenna, wherein each asset includes a radio frequency-responsive element, and wherein the computer steers the RFID antenna in the direction of a selected asset from the plurality of assets to read information from the radio frequency-responsive element of the selected asset. 
     
     
         8 . The asset assessment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a database for storing all information gathered by the asset assessment system relating to the plurality of assets. 
     
     
         9 . The asset assessment system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer calculates the optimized location of the vehicle for the camera to take a image of a selected asset, and communicates directions to a driver of the vehicle to that optimized position. 
     
     
         10 . An asset assessment system, comprising:
 a plurality of assets located at various geographical locations;   a geographical information system database for providing information relating to geographical locations of said plurality of assets;   an on-board global positioning system device;   a plurality of cameras directed at different positions; and   a computer, wherein the computer receives information from the geographical information system database and the global positioning system device and selects a camera from the plurality of cameras.   
     
     
         11 . The asset assessment system of  claim 10 , wherein the camera pointed at a selected asset records at least one image of the selected asset from the plurality of assets. 
     
     
         12 . The asset assessment system of  claim 10 , further comprising a retroreflectivity measurement apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The asset assessment system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of assets include roadway signs or roadway structures. 
     
     
         14 . The asset assessment system of  claim 10 , further comprising a user interface to allow a user to read information, and input information about the assets. 
     
     
         15 . The asset assessment system of  claim 10 , wherein the system collects assessment information about the asset, and wherein the assessment information includes inventory, maintenance, or incidental sign evaluation information. 
     
     
         16 . The asset assessment system of  claim 10 , further comprising a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader with a steerable RFID antenna, wherein each asset includes a radio frequency-responsive element, and wherein the computer steers the RFID antenna in the direction of a selected asset from the plurality of assets to read information from the radio frequency-responsive element of the selected asset. 
     
     
         17 . The asset assessment system of  claim 10 , further comprising a database for storing all information gathered by the asset assessment system relating to the plurality of assets. 
     
     
         18 . The asset assessment system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer calculates the optimized location of the vehicle for the camera to take an image of a selected asset, and communicates directions to that optimized position. 
     
     
         19 . An asset assessment system, comprising:
 a plurality of assets located at various geographical locations, wherein each asset includes a radio frequency-responsive element;   a geographical information system database for providing information relating to geographical locations of said plurality of assets and the individual radio frequency-responsive element information for each asset;   an on-board global positioning system device;   a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader with a steerable RFID antenna; and   a computer, wherein the computer receives information from the geographical information system database and the global positioning system device and steers the RFID antenna in the direction of a selected asset from the plurality of assets to read information from the radio frequency-responsive element of the selected asset.   
     
     
         20 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , wherein a selected radio frequency-responsive element has an antenna characteristic information, and the antenna characteristic is included in the geographical information system database. 
     
     
         21 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , wherein the steerable antenna is optimized to read the selected radio frequency-responsive element based on its antenna characteristic information. 
     
     
         22 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , further comprising a pointing controller and a camera attached to the second pointing controller; and wherein the computer directs the pointing controller where to point the camera. 
     
     
         23 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , wherein the camera pointed at a selected asset records at least one image of the selected asset. 
     
     
         24 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , further comprising a retroreflectivity measurement apparatus. 
     
     
         25 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of assets include roadway signs or roadway structures. 
     
     
         26 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , further comprising a user interface to allow a user to read information. 
     
     
         27 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , wherein the system collects assessment information about the asset, and wherein the assessment information includes inventory, maintenance, or incidental sign evaluation information. 
     
     
         28 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , further comprising a database for storing all information gathered by the asset assessment system relating to the plurality of assets. 
     
     
         29 . The asset assessment system of  claim 19 , wherein the computer calculates the optimized location of the vehicle for the RFID antenna to read the radio frequency-responsive element of a selected asset, and communicates directions to that optimized location. 
     
     
         30 . A method of assessing assets, comprising:
 providing a geographical information system database for providing information relating a plurality of assets located at various geographical locations and the geographical locations of the plurality of assets;   providing a camera to take an image of a selected asset;   providing a global positioning system device;   positioning the camera based on information about a selected asset from the geographical information system database and from the global positioning system; and   taking an image of the selected asset.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 measuring retroreflectivity of the selected asset.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of assets include roadway signs or roadway structures. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 collecting assessment information about the selected asset, wherein the assessment information includes inventory, maintenance, or incidental sign evaluation information.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing further a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader with a steerable antenna, wherein each asset includes a radio frequency-responsive element;   steering the RFID antenna in the direction of a selected asset from the plurality of assets to read information from the radio frequency-responsive element of the selected asset.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
 calculating the optimized location of the vehicle for the camera to take an image of a selected asset; and   communicating directions to a driver of the vehicle to that optimized location.

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